Maia Song Contest 12

The Maia Song Contest 12 was the twelfth edition of the Maia Song Contest. The contest was hosted in Arkaystia, following Dua Lipa's victory in the previous edition. Kat Dennings was the main host of the contest, with Dawn French acting a secondary and green room host.

Location
NTA and the MBU announced the conditions under which cities and venues could announce their interest in hosting the contest.


 * The host city had to be near a major airport.
 * The venue must be available for the rehearsal period before the contest and one week after the conclusion of the contest
 * The venue must not be open-air, but an air-conditioned building with a capacity of at least 10,000 and a minimum ceiling height of 15 metres (49 ft), insulated for sound and light.
 * The green room must be located as close to the arena as possible (or within it), with a capacity of 300.

Host venue

Semi-final allocations
Countries will be allocated to semi-finals using pots based on voting patterns in previous editions, similarly to the pots used in the previous edition's draw. The pots for the twelfth edition are based off of the voting patterns of the votes from the tenth and eleventh edition.

Semi Final 1
Playlist available here. Recap available here

Voting grid available here.

and will vote in this semi-final.

Semi Final 2
Playlist available here. Recap available here.

Voting grid available here.

,, and will vote in this semi-final.

Grand Final
Playlist available here Recap available here.

A full scoreboard can be found here. Scorewiz available here.

Voting and spokespersons

 * Theo Hutchcraft (Arkaystian representative in the ninth edition) as part of Hurts.
 * Nikki Grahame
 * Owl Eyes (Gloom representative in the eighth edition)
 * Michelle Dougan
 * Vicky Psarakis
 * Owl Eyes (Gloom representative in the eighth edition)
 * Michelle Dougan
 * Vicky Psarakis
 * Michelle Dougan
 * Vicky Psarakis
 * Michelle Dougan
 * Vicky Psarakis
 * Michelle Dougan
 * Vicky Psarakis
 * Vicky Psarakis
 * Daria Morgendorffer
 * John Krasinski
 * Kian and JC
 * Lizzy Plapinger
 * Duke Dumont (Lianistani representative in the eleventh edition)
 * Salt Ashes (Loafousian representative in the eleventh edition)
 * Jai Stevens
 * Jessica Cunningham
 * Petra Mede
 * Jai Stevens
 * Jessica Cunningham
 * Petra Mede
 * Jessica Cunningham
 * Petra Mede
 * Petra Mede
 * Aaron Taylor-Johnson
 * Josie Gibson
 * Doda
 * Rae Morris (Samavian representative in the eleventh edition)
 * Rebecca Mader & Alexa Bliss
 * Rae Morris (Samavian representative in the eleventh edition)
 * Rebecca Mader & Alexa Bliss
 * Rebecca Mader & Alexa Bliss
 * Rebecca Mader & Alexa Bliss
 * Rebecca Mader & Alexa Bliss
 * Rebecca Mader & Alexa Bliss
 * Rebecca Mader & Alexa Bliss
 * Rebecca Mader & Alexa Bliss

Other countries
Eligibility for potential participation in the Maia Song Contest requires a national broadcaster with active MBU membership that would be able to broadcast the contest. The MBU will issue an invitation of participation in the contest to all active members.

Active MBU countries

 * - Cionova failed to confirm due to not finding a replacement song within the deadline due to its first artist not being available on the dates of the contest.


 * - On 15 August 2017, Dunnish newspaper The Daily Dunwaye reported that the Dunnish Radio and Television Association (DRTA) are looking to auction off the broadcasting rights for the contest to another broadcaster. Reportedly, this was due to a decline in viewership figures and the country's recent non-qualification streak. Among the bidders the article named were the record company Aurum Sound Corporation, who wish to air the contest on their upcoming music channel Forte!, and media company Moonrise Productions, who plan to air the contest on their LGBTQ+ oriented channel Spectrum TV. When approached for comment, representatives for DRTA declined to leave a comment. Right after the results of Maia Song Contest 11 were released, DRTA officially announced that the Aurum Sound Corporation had won the bidding war, and that the contest in the future indeed would be broadcast on Forte!.


 * - On 12 August 2017, Flowek Broadcasting Network (FBN) released a statement about the country's future in the Maia Song Contest, citing dissatisfaction with the direction of the contest, adding that they didn't feel like that they want to be a part of it. On 25 August 2017, FBN announcd that they will be withdrawing from the contest, also announcing that they might not enter in the near future. In addition to this, as a result of the country's failure to broadcast the previous edition's final, the channel is expected to be sanctioned by the MBU.


 * - On 11 August 2017, Harrinia Broadcast Television (HBT) released a video explaining their future participation in the Maia Song Contest, where they said that they were unhappy with the direction that the contest is going, and that "Maia Song Contest stands for love, pride and friendship and we don't feel like this is the case anymore". They also announced that a return in the future is very likely to happen.


 * - On 25 August 2017, it was officially confirmed that due to preliminary contest dates coinciding with national holidays, STV would be unable to participate in Maia Song Contest 12, as well as the following edition, but also announced that a return was expected after these editions had passed.


 * - Since the eleventh edition of the Maia Song Contest, TSBN had stated that they were considering pulling out of Maia Song Contest due to dissatisfaction with the direction of the contest. Their withdrawal was confirmed on 11 August 2017, though the country's head of delegation has "some interest" in a future return. On 21 August 2017, it was revealed that TSBN had unilaterally severed ties between itself and the MBU, leading for its membership to be suspended. It is understood that the broadcaster cannot participate until it resolves this issue, which it currently appears "totally unwilling to do so" according to an MBU spokesperson.